College hoops came to a screeching halt Monday night, and for the Big Blue Nation, it was a heartbreaking end with our CATS running into a free-throw wall that cost us the hanging of our ninth banner in Rupp.

Still, despite a 60-54 loss to the Huskies of UCONN – we’ve got to be pretty thankful that the Cats were even in the game.

A month ago, most of us were ready to hang the season up, and some analysts were even mentioning the NIT at one point – although that was a little far-fetched and more sarcastic than anything.

Then came the “tweak” that Coach Cal found, and suddenly our Childcats started looking more and more like the group we were expecting to see last November when the supposed No. 1 recruiting class in the nation laced up their shoes and put on the blue and white.

And the run began. Two SEC tourney wins and a down to the wire finish against the top rated team in the nation that saw the Florida Gators scrambling in the SEC championship game to squeak out a one point win.

Five more NCAA Tournament wins, and suddenly we’re playing in the last game of the season.

Sans some horrific free throw shooting by the Cats, and it just don’t get any better than what we had in March and these first seven days of April.

I’ve caught a lot of grief from Louisville Cardinal haters who just can’t understand the dual loyalty at my house for our two teams from Kentucky, especially when they head down my driveway and view our flagpole with the 2011 UK Championship flag flying underneath the 2012 UL Championship flag (both underneath Old Glory, of course).

Hey, I’m a true basketball fan from Kentucky and right now, I’m proud of my CATS and my Cards, and I’m looking for a UK 2014 NCAA Runner-up flag as soon as the screen printers put them out. Blue goes back on top this spring.

All in all, from high school to college hoops – it’s been one of the best years – if not the best year – from top to bottom that I can remember enjoying.

So when do we start this again?

March Madness is finally over in Kentucky – we can get back to normal (my yard looks terrible).